[Petrushkaukrop]

I would not sick my dogs on a bear. Id probably shot at it from a window with a pellet to scare it off. I see no excuse for this.

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[denyffishh]

If you live in an area with bears and you're going to have your dogs outside, it's probably a good idea to enclose the property in a manner that'll prevent such animals from getting in. Especially considering what would happen if a mother bear happened across them. While most bears will generally run from a couple barking dogs, there's always the chance that they wont. And then you'll probably end up with dead dogs.

That being said, I'm glad no one was seriously injured.

This.

Glad they're ok.

[Dkavtbek]

And if my dogs ever needed serious emergency medical care you can bet your ass they'd get it!

[DrBrightonone]

I would not sick my dogs on a bear. Id probably shot at it from a window with a pellet to scare it off. I see no excuse for this.

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Have you ever seen a bear? A pellet would be a mosquito bite to a bear. A large muscular animal with thick skin and fur. It's better to run the fucker off or kill it than it is to agitate it.

Good thing you don't live in bear country huh?

[Petrushkaukrop]

Im not talking about shooting the bear! Lol. Im talking about the noise to spook it and there are many other way to spook a wild animal from your property without having to sick your dogs on them. I have had small livestock before and i have had wild animals trying to get them. Doesnt matter what it is. If you do not care to spook it fence in everything and at least kennel the dogs outside. Im sure they will tell you when a bear is on you property without having to endanger your dogs. And they still do their job.

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[maclaudser]

Oh and I'm talking about keeping dogs in not keeping bears out.

[Obgrfbke]

Wow. I really wasn't expecting criticism for being careless with my dogs.

From the responses, it seems that adjecya and I are pretty much on the same page while everyone else is reading from a different book.

First, I live on about 70 acres of mountainous land in the Appalachians. Although it is possible to have an aggressive bear, most will run from both dogs and people. I have an electronic (not electric) dog fence that encloses maybe three acres along the ridge where my house is located. It has served me very well over the years, even though I have had the occasional dog who will go through it if highly motivated.

My wife and I are amateur naturalists and our property is protected as wild land via a conservation easement. Although I do have a 30' x 30' chain link dog pen in addition to the electronic fence, I have no intention of putting up a large fence to keep wildlife out and dogs in. It would make my place look like a prison compound. Besides, as others have pointed out, a fence will not keep a bear out. (In fact, I can imagine a fence hindering a bear from escaping, which would have undoubtedly been far worse for my dogs.)

I see the possibility of an occasional bear as coming with the territory. The same holds true for poisonous snakes. I can't even count the number of times one of my pits has been bitten by a Copperhead. It's not a big deal, they swell up and become lethargic. We don't even bother to take them to the vet anymore; we just give them a benydril and let them sleep it off. Peaches got bit on the tongue once and now has a big notch in her tongue which catches on her lower canine when she pants.

We also have coyotes which are more of a concern than the occasional bear - at least if they are running in a pack.

We do keep our dogs inside at night which keeps them from getting into mischief for the most part.

All of our dogs are rescues and we love them very, very much and have the vet bills to prove it. Letting them roam the three acres enclosed by our electronic fence is not negligent IMO, even with the possibility of an occasional bear. Frankly, this is the first time one of my dogs has chased a bear.

[Dkavtbek]

I don't really see the need to honestly,i've seen more bears than ever this year, and the dogs haven't chased any they have really good recall if i'm out with them, and i see the bear, they won't go after it, the time when they have tree'd bears is usually when someone else has let them outside and didn't go out with them (which pisses me off and my family knows it, but only has to say "Well they won't go anywhere") it also happened twice on a walk, when the bear was INCREDIBLY close to me and the dogs. I'll consider chicken wire, but would that really stop a bear? My property has blue berries and black berries on it, that's generally what they're around for

[delnisfernan]

I'll never understand people who own dogs that can't properly care for them. You can't afford a fence? Why do you have dogs? You can't even afford a basic essential item for them. And you have people who have access to your dogs who don't follow your rules...it's like you don't care about them at all.

Clearly you didn't read Libby's story with the bear encounter she had, otherwise you would be more worried about it...and not relying on your dog to listen to you when a wild animal is in the vicinity.

[avaiguite]

Wow, glad to hear your dogs are okay.....please do listen to the advice given.

There was a dog here somewhere in Florida who fought an alligator attack in a canal (while on a leash) and survived, just had to have his neck stitched and lost a few teeth. It could have been so much worse, as the stupid owner was walking the dog along the canal, knowing full well there were gators in there. What was he thinking????

[AcecePesFeacy]

so glad they are all ok! I would go ahead and put up some cheap cheap fence to show the line to the wildlife, I know it wouldn't stop a bear, you would have to construct something huge and with a large 45 degree angle or something on top...anyhow I think just having something visable might help keep bears away, but then again it might now, so don't spend much money on it if you do it

[Dkavtbek]

Have you ever seen a bear? A pellet would be a mosquito bite to a bear. A large muscular animal with thick skin and fur. It's better to run the fucker off or kill it than it is to agitate it.

Good thing you don't live in bear country huh?

Steak # 2 being thrown to the dogs from me!

[Dkavtbek]

I'll never understand people who own dogs that can't properly care for them. You can't afford a fence? Why do you have dogs? You can't even afford a basic essential item for them. And you have people who have access to your dogs who don't follow your rules...it's like you don't care about them at all.

Clearly you didn't read Libby's story with the bear encounter she had, otherwise you would be more worried about it...and not relying on your dog to listen to you when a wild animal is in the vicinity.

I can afford proper care for my dogs, both of my dogs get all the vet care they need, Scruffy has had 2 surgerys if i didn't have money to care for my dogs than i wouldn't have been able to afford her ACL surgerys,or Ace's Thyroid meds, if i couldn't afford to care for my dogs they wouldn't have their vacs, they wouldn't be eating over 80$ worth of dog food , i do have the money to care for my dog i own A LOT of land, and trying to put a fence around it would be EXTREMELY expensive, i'm trying to put myself through school i don't have the money for that, my dogs listen well i don't see what the problem is?

And yeah my family sucks, thanks how does that mean i don't care for my dogs? I'm not the one letting them out without supervision, it hasn't happened for 2 years, i've gotten extremely upset about it, but they are my family so i'm not going to stop allowing them to come over.

Don't you dare tell my i don't care about my dogs, my dogs are my world, i don't have a couple thousand dollars to drop on a fence, i need it for other things.

[Dkavtbek]

I would not sick my dogs on a bear. Id probably shot at it from a window with a pellet to scare it off. I see no excuse for this.

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what if you have livestock to protect? or crops? You're gonna stay up all night every night to make sure nothing eats your crops or livestock? sorry not all dogs are cute cuddly pets some have a job to do.

[Petrushkaukrop]

Well i was more talking about having a out door kennel to keep the dogs protected but still can alert you when there is something outside. I just cant imagine putting my dogs in that sort of danger. I know youbcan argue all day long about how its what they were bred for... Doesnt mean its right either.

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[Ccddfergt]

Also...I have to add, electronic fencing really doesn't cut it with this breed at all. You should consider getting something more secure

[DoctorWeryDolt]

If you live in an area with bears and you're going to have your dogs outside, it's probably a good idea to enclose the property in a manner that'll prevent such animals from getting in. Especially considering what would happen if a mother bear happened across them. While most bears will generally run from a couple barking dogs, there's always the chance that they wont. And then you'll probably end up with dead dogs.

That being said, I'm glad no one was seriously injured.

[23InetrySypekek]

my dogs have treed bears before, black bears are usually big pussy's and will run from almost any dog, but there are the exceptions, at the vets office a guy came in with a golden all torn up by a bear, but she cornered it against the house. i can't really avoid bears, i don't have the money to get a fence to take in all of my property, and i don't really want a fence, my dogs will stop if i tell them too, but they keep things away from me when i'm hiking and stuff.There are dogs who are bred to chase bears away GRIZZLY bears, maybe it makes me irresponsible that i'm not getting a fence? i don't know i don't have the money for that stuff.

Well couldn't you put up some type of cheap fence and keep your electric one? Maybe some chicken wire (I think that's what its called) just to deter the bears? Just an idea. I understand tho. Putting up our fence was expensive. We put it up before we got a dog, its only 6ft

[Dkavtbek]

Exactly. OP had an electric fence..... obviously when you're dealing with an animal that size (even a black bear, it's still a fucking BEAR) a fence is no more than a costly deterrent. Seems to me there was a time not long ago that people had dogs for this type of situation....hmmmm.

Seriously! what if i wanted my dogs to chase bears away from the berries, what if it was MY garden, and i got dogs to keep vermin out, if i provided all them with proper care what's the problem? Dogs doing what the dog is suppose to. I mean that isn't what i got my dogs for but still, there are people who have dogs for that very reason. There are dogs in Africa protecting livestock and villages from big cats. Why don't we just tell all of them to get a fence to "Keep them out" LOL

[casinochniks]

I'm gonna go ahead and say that a fence probably wouldn't help. If you know that your dogs listen and feel comfortable with them being unfenced on large property go ahead. I grew up on a farm with three dogs that had free roam, they we great, we had one incident when I was really little that the hound got in a fight with a coyte but that was him protecting the kids. It was his job to defend his home and he did it. Not saying he was specifically a guard dog, he was a hunting dog, but still he protected his family and property.